Month

All posts tagged Month

I think most, if not all, Feng Shui experts or Feng Shui writers or Feng Shui consultants (whether commercialized or not) agrees that we have officially entered the darker part of THE the year base on the 2017 bazi chart (paht chee chart). Regular readers of this blog will remember that I have written about this during my annual forecast.

First, I wrote that a ‘calamity’ will happen on the 3rd quarter of the year or it may start to happen at around the third quarter and we will start to feel its effect towards the 4th quarter or next year. Please note that I’m talking about the 3rd quarter to 4th quarter of the lunar month and not of the Western Calendar that we regularly use officially.

Just recently, internationally famous Feng Shui expert Lillian Too has announced that we have entered the darker part of the year. My Feng Shui teacher in Hong Kong has said the same thing and furthermore, my Guru Lama has said the energies of the year have since become more negative.

Last Hungry Ghost month, which was in the 3rd quarter of the Lunar Month, saw the calamities and typhoons that struck different countries. I have written about this but failed to mention that it happened also in Nepal, India and other countries. It also happened recently in Puerto Rico, which was at the tail end of the Hungry Ghost month, but the real tragedy is that the POTUS refused to help them and became more concerned about trivial matter.

Rohingya Muslims persecutions has also become worst and might have reached it’s peak during the Hungry Ghost month.

In the Philippines, politically speaking we are in a turmoil. I don’t want to be political on this blog, but if you base it on the bazi chart and what my Guru Lama is saying, something bad has started to brew and will see it’s effect soon, which is towards the end of the year or early next year.

What is important now, regardless of your political belief or affiliation, is for you to think beyond yourself and think for this country or for this world. And I’m saying this not just for the Filipinos but also for everybody who reads regardless of whether where you live. Remember, there is brewing war that involves North Korea – USA – Japan. This war is not a matter of ‘if’ but rather of ‘when’. And the truth is it has started on a more discreet level.

Again, generally speaking a good leader is somebody who unifies rather than one who is divisive. A good leader accepts that there will be opposition and embrace it as part of it’s growth, and not somebody who tries to attack and silence those who attack him or her. A good leader is somebody who sticks to the facts and not makes up stories to malign those who oppose him or her. A good leader doesn’t come up with false stories just because he or she knows that there are people who are blind followers.

But it is time for us to get out of our own comfort zone because we have to share the truth; each of us has to do that in our own way. And we should all start praying that things will get better. We can oppose these dark energies with prayers.

On a personal level, money matters might become harder thus my Guru Lama decided to release the VAISRAVANA – DZAMBHALA WEALTH AMULET (1), and on top of that one should always protect oneself with good deeds, prayers, and amulets.

While we should be more concern on the macro effects of the dark energies that has come in, it is not to say that this will not have any effect on us on a personal level. As mentioned, on a personal level the effect will be mostly financial, although it might have some effect on communication and personal relationships as well. Furthermore, it will have an effect on our personal safety. It is important that one continues to pray and save some money. Again protect yourself, wear your gold Kalachakra pendant, or Vajrapani Ruel, or even the Vaisravana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet, the Illness Suppression Amulet. If you don’t have these, you can wear an image of Bodhisattva Earth Store (aka Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva), Bodhisattva Kuan Yin (also spelled or called as Kuan Shi Yin, Quan Shi Yin, Quan Yin, Guan Shi Yin, Guan Yin, Avalokitesvara, Chenrezig, Kannon, Bodhisattva of Compassion, Goddess of Mercy), or Buddha Amitabha, or Medicine Buddha.

The Vaisavana – Dzambhala Wealth Amulet has the consecrated copies of the mantras of King Vaisravana of the Four Heavenly Kings and the mantras of the Five Dzambhalas. Furthermore, there are some special ingredients in powder form that are included to add to the potency of the amulet. Before it is sealed it is furthered consecrated on the image of The Four Heavenly Kings.It is placed in a metal case, not just for its durability and protection but according to the Tantric Buddhist Scripture book where Guru Lama got the instructions for this amulet, it has to be placed in cylindrical metal case to symbolize continuity and stability.

This is a Kalachakra pendant released by Lillian Too. I really love this pendant but find it too expensive. The Kalachakra Symbol is a powerful protection symbol. It is actually ten syllable mantra compressed into one symbol. The mantra is HO HAM KSHAMALA VARAYA HUM PHAT. However, it is usually chanted with OM AH HUM thus making the complete mantra as OM AH HUM HO HAM KSHAMALA VARAYA HUM PHAT. It is because off this that for the WISH FULFILLING AND BUDDHA’S BLESSING MANTRA PENDANT, I decided to put the symbolic script OM AH HUM on top of Kalachakra Symbol.

The Vajrapani Ruel looks simple, maybe even rustic, but this simple amulet is packed with a special talisman paper inside, with various ingredients, which includes Namtso Salt, soil, various herbs and plants, crystal, and a relic from a high lama. It’s important to put the ruel inside a amulet holder or something sturdy as to not ruin it. If the cloth had tear which exposes or spill the ingredients inside, the ruel becomes useless. The Vajrapani Ruel itself is only about 1 to 2 inches and it varies from one ruel to another.

The Illness Suppression Amulet or Illness Protection Amulet is a special highly consecrated amulet made by my Guru Lama as a cure for the Illness Star a star that also causes accidents. It has the energies of the Medicine Buddha, Namgyalma Buddha, Amitayus Buddha and White Umbrella Goddess. Furthermore, the small black thing you see at the bottom of the glass amulet holder is a Dharma Pill, which is made from a second – class relic of a confirmed holy lama. It also has a small amount of ash from the last Medicine Buddha holy initiation conducted by my Guru Lama, and aside from individual special consecration, the whole amulet was further consecrated under the Tooth Relic of Shakyamuni Buddha.

From my personal collection. A rare Red Amber Ksitigarbha. If wearing it as a pendant, I prefer the image with the five leave crown. Unfortunately, it is quite difficult to get a Ksitigarbha pendant unless you’re from Malaysia, Hong Kong, or Singapore.

Today is the eve of the Hungry Ghost Month for 2017 and also today we will have one of the ‘greatest’ total solar eclipse, which ironically speaking a lot of people are excited to see.

While like all Hungry Ghost Month we will all have to take extra careful and precaution. I have discussed this several times every year, so I will not go into detail about it, but if you are new to Feng Shui or just have started reading this blog, please do check out the links at the end of this article to know more about the Hungry Ghost Month (aka Ghost Month) and the Hungry Ghost Festival (aka Ghost Festival).

There are years that the negative effects of the Ghost Month are particularly stronger, superficially, base on the Flying Stars Formula of the year, this year the case is not like of that last year, but because of the Total Solar Eclipse happening today, the statement that this year’s Hungry Ghost Month is not particularly stronger is no longer true.

Today a Total Solar Eclipse will happen. It will more visibly seen in some parts of America, but as I have said in previous posts, when a Total Solar Eclipse happens, or when an eclipse happens it really doesn’t matter whether you see the effect of it on your country or not, it just doesn’t matter, when an eclipse happens it affects the world and it affects every country, and it affects all of us if we haven’t taken the time out to protect ourselves.

First, during the eclipse, and the time varies from one continent to another (so check it out on Google) one has stay inside. Go into your house or office even if it’s evening in your country, it is better to stay indoor. Make sure you wear your protective amulets, for this one I particularly more assured with the Vajrapani Ruel or gold Kalachakra pendant, or a gold pendant image of the Bodhisattva of Compassion – Kuan Yin (also spelled or called Guan Yin, Guan Shi Yin, Kuan Shi Yin, Avalokitesvara, Kannon, Goddess of Mercy, Buddha of Compassion), or a gold pendant image of Amitabha Buddha. If you don’t have any of these, chanting mantras should also help. You can chant the following mantras repeatedly until after the total solar eclipse:

Chant all the mantra 108x each one after the other; repeat the process until the total solar eclipse has ended.

A number of Feng Shui experts believe that the Total Solar Eclipse happening on the eve of the Hungry Ghost Month is either a precursor to bad things happening worldwide or with several countries or it maybe enhancing to the things that are already happening. By enhancing it refers to enhancing the negative things.

Furthermore, on a more personal level it may signify financial loss or health and safety issues during the Hungry Ghost Month. And regular readers of this blog know that my stand is always better being safe than sorry.

The 2017 HUNGRY GHOST MONTH (2017 GHOST MONTH) starts on August 22, 2017 and ends on September 19, 2017. The 2017 HUNGRY GHOST FESTIVAL (2017 GHOST FESTIVAL) is on September 5, 2017.

TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE HUNGRY GHOST MONTH, HUNGRY GHOSTS, IT’S EFFECTS, RITUALS AND PROTECTION READ THE FOLLOWING HUNGRY GHOSTS SERIES:

In the preceding post, I talked about BM and how she was asking me about this year’s Hungry Ghost Month. As I said in that post, I made some mistake in saying that this year’s Hungry Ghost Month is not any worse than an ordinary Hungry Ghost Month, although like any other Ghost Month one has to be very careful and cautious with one’s dealings. And so when I found out about the Lunar Eclipse and the Total Solar Eclipse that is happening on the eve of the Hungry Ghost Month which is on August 21, I have to call her and rectify what I initially told her. But instead of making it a dreadful conversation as to what are the bad things that may happen, BM said something that is full of wisdom.

You see, last year people born in the year of the Ox have some terrible luck. We had one of the strongest #5 Flying Star (also known as Wu Wang or Five Yellow Star) and it landed on the sector of the Ox! Furthermore, last year’s Hungry Ghost Month was quite intense for people born in the year of the Ox. In the strictest sense of the word was bad year for the Ox, and very challenging one. BM was born in the year of the Ox and she survived last year with panache!!!!

What did she do? Obviously she armed herself with all the necessary amulets like the Five Element Pagoda gold pendant, the gold Kalachakra pendant, Vajrapani Ruel, etc., You name it she has it, but what is most important is that she armed herself with what I would like to call the AMULET FROM WITHIN!

What is this AMULET FROM WITHIN? It is quite simple really; basically she sincerely armed herself with goodness, compassion, kindness, and love. Obviously, this is not something that she does only for the sake of the Hungry Ghost Month or for counter acting the effects of bad luck. But this is something that stems from within her and sincere is an understatement.

You see whenever we talk, BM, would always candidly share that she prays everyday but she seldom prays for herself, she always pray for other people. 99% of her prayers are for other people and if she ever mentions herself it is simply a “postscript” rather than the center of her prayers. Below, I will put a link of all the BM articles, and there you will get to read about all the sincere charity that’s she do almost everyday. In so many ways, she is indeed a human bodhisattva.

And so when I was talking to her about the effects of the total solar eclipse on the eve of the Hungry Ghost Month that is happening this year, she reminded me that aside from all the amulets, prayers is what really saved her. And of course, all the merits she has planted by way of good deeds and good thoughts without expecting anything in return.

TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE HUNGRY GHOST MONTH, HUNGRY GHOSTS, IT’S EFFECTS, RITUALS AND PROTECTION READ THE FOLLOWING HUNGRY GHOSTS SERIES:

This is just a quick post to remind you that the Hungry Ghost Month this 2017 is happening on August 22, 2017 to September 19, 2017. The eve of the Hungry Ghost Festival is on Sept. 4 and Hungry Ghost Festival or Hungry Ghost Day is Sept. 5.

The Hungry Ghost Festival is also known as the Zhong Yuan Festival in Taoism and Yu Lan Pen Festival in Buddhism. This is the day we pay respects to the deceased by making some offerings. This is also the day where you can do the Ullambana Ritual, which I introduced to my readers last year.

It is said that all ghost, especially the hungry ghosts, will come out of hell during the Hungry Ghost Month, and it is said that they are strongest on the eve and on the festival day itself. The festival day always happens on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. This is why the 15th day of the 7th lunar month is called Hungry Ghost Day and the 7th lunar month is called Hungry Ghost Month.

The Chinese, especially the older generation have the custom of making offerings to their dead relatives and to their ancestors, but also to all hungry ghosts. The Hungry Ghost Festival is considered as one of the most important date in the Chinese tradition.

As mentioned the Chinese believes that during the Hungry Ghost Month (sometimes simply called Ghost Month), the gates of hell will open to allow the hungry ghosts to go back to our world. During this time, they will roam around our world to eat with us. Because of this they also bring about a lot of negative energies and may cause bad luck and illness and accidents.

To help ease the sufferings of the hungry ghosts, and to avoid causing bad luck to us, the Chinese usually perform ceremonies on the eve of the hungry ghost day, but a lot of Chinese, also make offerings all throughout the hungry ghost month. They will set altars for them and chant mantras or recite sutras that will help give merit to the hungry ghosts. . Monks often throw rice or some small foods into the air to distribute them to the ghosts.

On the evening of the Ghost day, people also make lanterns and float them on the river to help their relatives find their way back to home. The lanterns are usually lotus flower-shaped with light or candles. Some people also write their ancestors’ name on the lanterns.

I have written extensively about the Hungry Ghost Month and the Hungry Ghost Festival. If you are not yet familiar with them, I suggest that you check on the link below and read them to know how you can stay safe.

But at this point, allow me to share with you that for this year’s ghost month, while there is nothing extra significant other than what has been mentioned already, people born in the years of the Snake, Horse, and Sheep should take extra precaution because these three signs are already afflicted or side afflicted by the stronger than usual Five Yellow Star or Wu Wang (#5 Flying Star). As a result, they have to be extra careful with their business or financial dealings because money loss is definitely a serious threat during the hungry ghost month. Furthermore, people born under the sign of the Horse and Sheep ( who is also directly affected by the #7 Star of Violence) should take extra care about their safety. Accidents or crime may happen. It is very important the Horse, Sheep, or Snake should have the Vajrapani Ruel and the Ullambana Amulet, which will be sent to me by my Guru Lama in the next few days.

Before I share with you all the other posts that I’ve written about the Hungry Ghost Month, I just would like to remind everybody that it is very important that you should all make sure, whether you are born under the sign of the Sheep, Horse, or Snake, to protect yourself. There is no such thing as over protection.

TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE HUNGRY GHOST MONTH, HUNGRY GHOSTS, IT’S EFFECTS, RITUALS AND PROTECTION READ THE FOLLOWING HUNGRY GHOSTS SERIES:

‘WAKE ME UP WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS!’ Has been the cry of a lot of people this month. I was so focused on the negative energies of the previous month that I failed to concentrate on the month of September or for the 8th Lunar Month. However, there is a strong hostile energy this September, which is cause by the Flying Stars and 24 Mountain Stars and on top of that, it was extremely bad that we had a prominent Harvest Moon eclipse that occurred a day after the Mid – Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival), a festival that is suppose to cleanse the energy of the previous month, as such no cleansing happened.

Not all, but a lot of my readers and the people are experiencing some kind of hostile chi or hostile energies. For some this translated into family problems, and for a lot this translated into financial or business problems. A reader has a lot of expenses, but relatively lower income coming in, another reader was driven away from their house, another reader had a big family problem. Of course, there are a few who have some good news but they are more of an exception rather than the rule.

These negative hostile energies don’t end until October 7, 2016. So it is good to protect oneself with some powerful amulets like the gold Kalachakra pendant, Vajrapani Ruel, Suranggama Mantra Amulet, or images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. However, even with protection, one should be reminded to lay low a little.

All eclipses are bad because it signifies the imbalance of Yin and Yang. All brightness whether it is from the sun or from the moon, which signifies Yang energy, is blocked out therefore bringing darkness, which signifies Yin Energy. So needless to say, all eclipses are bad.

Last week, while stuck in traffic, I wrote about the lunar eclipse happening on a Harvest Moon (Mid – Autumn Festival / Mooncake Festival). Because it was written in haste, I was not able to explain further the significance of Harvest Moon.

For the Chinese right after Mid – Autumn Festival is called Harvest Moon because the harvest season continues. This is one of the most celebrated events because it signifies ushering in of renewed good chi; especially we are coming from the previous month of negative chi because of the Hungry Ghost Month!

Because I was late in posting it, a lot of you might have read the post after you have been already exposed from the negative chi of the lunar eclipse, and naturally a lot of you emailed me and several of you who knows my mobile number sent a message and called frantic about being exposed to the effect of the lunar eclipse. And so I decided to write about how to cleanse yourself from the effects of the Harvest Moon Eclipse last week and move the original post for some other day.

If you have been exposed or if you are outdoor while the eclipse happened but wears the Vajrapani Ruel, Surangama Mantra Amulet, or a Kalachakra during or immediately after the exposure, then you need not worry, you should be fine. If until now you haven’t worn those amulets or you don’t have them I suggest you wear or carry the symbolic script of the immediate negative karma cleansing mantra OM AH HUM. (Please see photo)

Also for the next 7 days put 2 tablespoon of rock salt or sea salt, or pink Himalayan salt on your tub and soak yourself in it for about 5 minutes, all the while chanting OM AH HUM HO HAM KSHAMALA VARAYA HUM PHAT. If you don’t have a bathtub, you can put it in a pail of water or in a basin then use that as your first wash. Chant OM AH HUM HO HAM KSHAMALA VARAYA HUM PHAT while dousing yourself with the water. If you use a shower, you can get two handful of salt and slowly rub it on your body before your final wash. While rubbing chant OM AH HUM HO HAM KSHAMALA VARAYA HUM PHAT and then let the salt stay your body for two minutes and chant the same mantra.

Today is such a special day, not for any other reason but because today (again time of writing does not necessarily reflect day of posting, although this will be posted on August 16, 2016) I get to share with you, as instructed by my Guru Lama the Ullambana Sutra, which is one of the most important Mahayana Sutra that has to be chanted on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month that is popularly known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, but as you will see the worst day of the year is also the Ullambana Day, which is a tool for us to turn this day into a positive one.

But I think I’m getting ahead of myself. I really don’t know where to start because I’m really excited to share this. I have been wanting to write about this but my Guru Lama has prohibited me from doing so, but now he has agreed that I write about it.

So let me see. Where do I start?

The Hungry Ghost Month, which happens on the 7th lunar month, is a dreaded month. Its peak is on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. For this year, the peak happens on August 17, 2016. So it’s eve, which is on August 16 and a day after that which is the 18th of August are considered to be the second most dread day. There are a lot of negativities associated with the Hungry Ghost Month and the Hungry Ghost Festival, in fact, I have written much about it also, and the following are just some of it:

If you notice, there was a particular attention on the 2014 Hungry Ghost Month only because the effects of the Hungry Ghost that year was particularly strong. It was quite a bad year that year. A lot of the negative worldwide things that are still happening now started that year.

It is because of the things that I have written about that the Hungry Ghost Month is one of the most dreaded months of the year. And rightly so because the threat that it brings are very real. In fact, this year, the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro was filled with a lot of flaps from World Class athletes, there were also a lot of accidents and problems. Furthermore, on a personal level, I won’t be surprised if a lot of you are experiencing illness, depression, loss of money, or even loss of a relative, or had some accidents.

I have written extensively about the cures of the Hungry Ghost Month and will not write about them anymore but as some sort of review, the cures are Chung Kwei, Vajrapani Ruel, gold Kalachakra pendant, Surangama Mantra Amulet or even the Illness Suppression Amulet.

But today, what I would like to talk about is how the Hungry Ghost Festival, the day of the Hungry Ghost itself can be turned into a day of positive energy and attract good luck especially wealth luck and family luck.

I always say that when there is bad luck, I’m quite sure that the Buddha has provided us with the tools already. Sometimes we just have to discover them and find out about it.

The answer to countering this bad luck and turning it into a positive one is with the ULLAMBANA RITUAL. Needless to say the main ingredient in this ritual is by reciting the ULLAMBANA SUTRA!

First, what are the Ullambana Ritual and the Ullambana Sutra?

The Ullambana Sutra is one of the earliest sutras shared by Buddha Shakyamuni back at the days when He still has a physical body. The Ullambana Ritual is one of the oldest rituals; because it was first held during the time of Shakyamuni Buddha, again back at the days where He still has a physical body. Roughly speaking the ritual is about 3,000 years old. (Buddhism is about 500 years older than Christianity.)

If one does the Ullambana Ritual and chants the Ullambana Sutra, one has the power to save the lives of your elders up to 7 generations up. What good will this do? It will also create a tremendous amount of good luck for the one who did the ritual.

Ullambana is a Sanskrit word that means ‘to save from suffering’. Ullam means ‘being hung upside – down’, which was derived from a form of suffering experienced by Hungry Ghosts, and Bana means ‘to save’.

In the Buddha Speaks of the Ullambana Sutra, Maudgalyayana one of Buddha’s great disciple, Venerable Maudgalyayana, upon gaining the enlightenment and the Wisdom Eye, saw his mother became Hungry Ghosts and he saw that she is suffering and has an image of skin and bone, unable to take any food or drink. Venerable Maudgalyayana immediately made some food offering to his mother, but food when it was about to eaten by the spirit of his mother, turned into ashes. Venerable Maugdalyayana was deeply worried and asked Buddha for help.

At this point, allow me to lift several paragraphs from the website of BPL Monastery about the Ullambana Sutra and Ullambana Ritual:

Buddha told Maudgalyayana that due to his mother’s heavy karma Maudgalyayana alone was not enough to save her. On the 15th of July on the lunar calendar when all the monastics finished their summer retreat, he must offer to Sangha of the ten directions with a hundred kinds of delicacies. With the strengths of all the Sangha and the merit and virtue from such offering, he could then save his parents of the current life and seven lives past, and relatives from the suffering of the three evil paths.

Venerable Maudgalyayana followed Buddha’s instructions and was successful rescuing his mother from suffering as a hungry ghost. He then asked Buddha if Buddha’s disciples of the future wishing to practice filial piety could follow the Ullambana offering to help their parents of current and up to seven lifetimes past. Buddha answered, “Those who wish to practice compassionate filial conduct for the sake of the parents who bore them, as well as for the sake of fathers and mothers of seven lives past, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, the Day of the Buddhas’ Delight, the Day of the Sangha’s Pravarana, they should vow to cause the length of life of the present father and mother to reach a hundred years without illness, without sufferings, afflictions, or worries, and also vow to cause seven generations of fathers and mothers to leave the sufferings of the hungry ghosts, to be born among men and gods, and to have blessings and bliss without limit.”

Who should do the Ullambana Ritual?

Well, technically speaking, we should all do the Ullambana ritual for our parents and other family members who passed away. We can also do this for all our ancestors and also for all sentient beings who are suffering in the realm of the Hungry Ghost.

However, if you notice that your suffering or bad luck started when a parent or family member passed away then you should definitely do the Ullambana ritual for that family member. Also, if you are suffering from lack of financial luck and also if you have a tremendous family problem you should definitely do the Ullambana ritual.

How often should you do it?

Do it every year, even if your parents are not in the realm of Hungry Ghost, or even if they have been reborn or reincarnated already, they will still benefit from the Ullambana ritual.

But more than that, we who offer them the Ullambana ritual will also gain a lot of blessings, but this should not be the primary reason, the primary concern should be for those relatives who have moved on.

How to do the Ullambana ritual?

Nowadays, Buddhist temples have made it easy for us to do the Ullambana ritual. All you have to do is go to the temple, and then register or enroll the name of the dead person whom you want the benefits of the ritual be offered to. The temple will arrange for you all the necessary offerings. You may or may not attend the actual ritual, but attending is highly encouraged because the merits gained when you attend is so much better or higher if you are physically and emotionally participating in the said ritual.

However, the purpose of this post is to teach you on how to do the ritual. Why? Because doing it yourself is so much better than having it done. What I usually do is enroll the name of my departed ancestor to a Buddhist temple and let them do the ritual, but at the same time, we also do the ritual at home.

Doing the ritual is actually easy, albeit it might be a little tedious.

Below is the step-by-step guide on how to do the ritual on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month:

Note: You can do the ritual anytime of the day, but it is better to do it early in the morning. Also preparing the ingredients a day before will make things easier. The most ideal time to do this is around 2AM.

Brush your teeth and take a bath. Do not eat anything.

Put on decent clothing.

On a big table, put in the center an image of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva.

Then put the following:

Bowl of cooked rice put some chopsticks or spoon.

A bowl of each vegetable that is either boiled or steamed: Broccoli, Carrots (cut into cubes), Cauliflower, Upo (White Squash / Sitting Vegetable) or Sayote (Chayote), Sweet Potatoes (Cut into Cubes), Mushroom, Radish (cut into cubes).

The following fruits arrange into a small pyramid like structure: Apples, Oranges, Pears.

One brunch or piece each of the following fruits: Pineapple, Banana, Grapes, Papaya or Pomelo or Watermelon or Melon.

Then on a piece of yellow paper (lengthwise of a standard size bond paper), write the name of the person, date of birth and date of death. You can also put “ANCESTORS OF (YOUR NAME)”. Then place the paper near the foot of the image of the Buddha or Bodhisattva. You can do the writing before hand. If more than one name, one paper for each name. Use a red pentel pen in writing the names of the dead person.

Then put the incense on an incense burner or incense holder or on the rice.

Then face the table (standing) or make shift altar and chant the following three times while your palms are together in front of your chest, about an inch below your chin:

Namo Fundamental Teacher Shakyamuni Buddha

Then still in the same position, chant the following:

The dharma infinitely profound and subtle, is rarely encountered even in a million of kalpas. We are now able to hear, recite, and follow it, may we realized the Tatagatha’s true meaning.

Get the bowl of rice and pinch a small amount and throw it on the East, then do the process again, this time West, then South, then North, then Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest.

Then burn the yellow papers.

Dismantle the make shift altar, starting with the image of the Buddha or Bodhisattva.

Keep the blanket, and also the sack of rice (if you offered them). Also keep the cloth (if you offered them).

Keep the ang pao or red envelope with money.

Bring the blanket, sack/s of rice, cloth and red envelope (ang pao) to a temple and donate it.

Some Buddhist temple will do the Ullambana for 7 consecutive days. Some will do it a few days before the Ullambana festival itself, but if you’re doing it at home, it is so much better to do it on the day of the Ullambana Festival itself (15th day of the 7th lunar month / coincides with the Hungry Ghost Festival).

You can also recite the Ullambana Sutra after the Ullambana Festival/Hungry Ghost Festival without doing the full ritual. Always end the reciting of the Ullambana Sutra by saying: I DEDICATE THE MERIT OF THIS DEED TO MY “PARENTS” OR “NAME OF A PERSON” OR “ANCESTORS”.

If you wish to know more about the Hungry Ghost Month, please read all the other articles by clicking here.

Or read the following:

TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE HUNGRY GHOST MONTH, HUNGRY GHOSTS, IT’S EFFECTS, RITUALS AND PROTECTION READ THE FOLLOWING HUNGRY GHOSTS SERIES: